morrill



F. B. MORRILL CLOTH REEL.

Feb. 7, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001.. 12, 1951 l'zweazfozt- K12224313. MofliiiZZ, I by W KW fliiodaeg F. B. MORRILL Feb. 7, 1956CLOTH REEL 5 Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Oct. 12, 1951 15212922202FIMB.MO?4?1ZZZ, by MK W,

flii'oafiaeg;

Feb. 7, 1956 Filed Oct. 12, 1951 F. B. MORRILL 2,733,807

CLOTH REEL 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Iaweazior FWD-M03431,

by (MK- W United States Patent CLOTH REEL Frank B. Merrill, North Adams,-Mass., assignor to The James Hunter Machine Company, North Adams, Mass,a corporation of -Massa'chusetts Application October 12, 1951,Serial No.251,043

9 'Claims. (Cl. 203-300) This invention relates to reels for propellingcloth in textile machines in processes of dyeing,'washing, bleaching andotherwise administering liquid treatments to cloth in rope form.

In such processes, for example in piece dyeing the piece of cloth mustbe kept moving continuously and alternately through the liquor in thedye book and then through the air for the absorption of oxygen, and thispropulsion is 'e'fiected by a reel which pulls the cloth up out of theliquor and feeds it back again immediately into the liquor. Only thefriction arising from the cloth being looped over the reel can beutilized to 'lift'thecloth, as any'additional pressure would set'creases in therope of cloth and cause shading in'the dyeing or otherprocess being performed. However, in the dyeing of slippery fabricssuchas rayons'or nylons, the reel has difficulty in pulling or liftingthe wet fabric and slippage of the reel within the loops of fabricoccurs resulting'inimeven dyeing and shading and causing tight loops andother troubles because it fails to' feed the fabric or the variousstrings uniformly, and in chafing and damage to the cloth when the'cloths travel stops entirely.

Additionally, the risk of chafing the fabric precludes the use of cleatsor other cloth-engagingmembers on the roll which have any degree ofsharp or rough gripping edges capable of getting abe'tter grip onthe'cloth strings, as such would destroy the cloth in' the event oftangling and resulting stoppage ofclothtr'avel. Hence no reel devoid ofdye-absorbing material hashitherto been satisfactorilyable to'pull thecloth without slipping.

The usual method of overcoming these ditficulties is to cover the reel,sometimes with rubber, which is extremely expensive and will not endureboiling dye liquor, or more commonly with fabric, such as duck or cheesecloth to give it sufficient frictional grip on the cloth. This latterinvolves so much expense for the fabric used, time spent in applying it,and loss of machine time, that often a part of the available machinesare taken out of production and left standing idle rather than.relapping the reels with fresh fabric as necessary to avoid ofi-colorwork when the shades which are next to be dyed are lighter than thosewhich have beenput through the dye becks, using only those machineswhich have been on lighter shades. In short, relapping is such an itemofexpense it is put off as long as possible, even at the cost of idlemachines and delayed productiom and the'interference with the dyersplanning and timing of his work.

Since cloth is generally high in cost, and sometimes scarce and notavailable, especially in'war times, or since the lapping ordinarilylasts only from one to three weeks, depending on the quality of thecloth used, the conditions of heat of the dye liquor and the degree ofabrasion to which the cloth is subject, it becomes, therefore, a primaryobject of the invention to provide a reel in which lapping of the reelwith cloth andall its attendant difficulties are avoided and renderedunnecessary to prevent slippage of the reel within the 'fabricbeingpropelled.

Chief among such'difiicult'ies is thatit requires "great skill to applythe fabric evenly; 'if the fabric covering increases the diameter moreat one point in the length of the reel than at another, even by A" incircumference, it makes tight loops in the strings of cloth being runwhich lead to slippage, scuffing, and eventual damage of the fabricunless someone stands by and holds back with his hands on thefast-feeding loop to slack elf the preceding tlight loop.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved reelwhich avoids these drawbacks while attaining a gentle and leastinjurious action on the cloth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reel handling the clothin such manner that the treating liquid permeates the cloth uniformlywith avoidance of shading of the cloth throughout its width and length.

To these ends I have provided a novel reel having circumferentiallyspaced supporting elements for the cloth Whose supporting surfaces areoblique to the force which presses the fabric radially inward againstthe reel, these oblique surfaces standing at both sides of each stringof the cloth to define V or U-shaped crotches in which the string ofcloth wedges. While these supporting elements may be arrangedend-to-erid in close proximity in the same longitudinal plane, thesuccessive elements are preferably disposed in different planes so thatthe fabric wedges and kinks between them in proportion to the resistanceof the fabric to being fed onward. In a preferred form the V5 or Us arespaced circumferentially around the reel on lags so that the unitpressure of the cloth on each crotch remains high enough to cause a goodgrip on the fabric, as well as spaced along the reel to accommodate aplurality of strings or loops of the cloth.

Other objects of the invention, and the manner of their attainment areas made plain in the accompanying description.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. l. is a side elevation of the improved reel.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation; of the reel.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in section of a portion of Fig. 1showing construction details.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the reel.

Pig. 5 is a side-elevation of a portion of one slat adjacent one head ofthe reel, showing an alternative form of construction of the humps.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings and to Figs. 1 and 2 in particula-n-the reelis built preferably of stainless steel or other noncorrodible metal,except as otherwise indicated, and has metallic heads 1 of generallyoval outline formed from circular plates by removing equal segmentalareas from opposite sides, and with turned-out rims 3 to fit closelyagainst the walls of the machine in which it "is 'used'andexclude entryof the cloth therebetween.

The heads 1 are mounted on opposite ends of a barrel or tubular shaftcomprising a length of heavy pipe 5, Fig. 3, of ordinary steei sheathedthroughout its length with two lengths of stainless steel tubing 5"fitting closely thereon, and in each end of the pipe 5 is fixed a heavycast iron sleeve 9 pressed into the counterbored extremity of the pipeand secured non-rotatably therein by pins 11. in the central bore 13 ofeach sleeve 9 is fixed-a steel stub-shaft 15 press-fitted tightlytherein and held by pin 17, the stub-shafts forming the journals of thereel, the full-diameter portion of each shaft forming the bearingsurface while at least one has a reduced extremity which is threaded andprovided With'a keyway whereby a driving gear or pulley maybe mountedthereon to drive the'reel. A spacing collar 19 is press-fitted abouteach journal against the outward end of sleeve 9, and-on this collar thehead is mounted nd'- seenre1y welded *tothe end of pipe 5 around thejoint 21,-the*stainless steel sheathing 7 bein flared to cover thewelding bead in joint 21. A ring 23 of sheet metal also surrounds collar21, being Welded to the outward surface of the head to reinforce theaperture therein receiving collar 19.

Each head is provided with a rectangular flange 25 centered about theshaft and welded to the inward surface of the head, within which arefour gussets 27 each welded to the inside of flange 25, to the inwardsurface of head 1, and to the surface of the adjacent end portion ofsheathing sleeve '7, and serving to brace the heads so as to maintainthem in true radial relation to the axis of rotation defined by thejournals 15. At mid-length of the reel is an intermediate supportcomprising a rectangular web 29 having its edge turned over at rightangles all the way around its periphery to form a flange 31, the lengthand breadth of this rectangle being the same as that of the two flanges25 on the heads, and having a central aperture 33 whereby this supportfits about pipe 5, being fixed thereon by a welding bead filling theangle between the support and the pipe all the way around the latter ateach side of the support. The proximate ends of the two sheaths 7 areflared to cover and include these welding beads.

The center support 29 is braced to hold it truly radial to the axis ofthe reel by triangular gussets 35, 37, welded to the support 29 and tothe surface of sheaths 7, and also to the inward surface of the flange31 in the case of gussets 37.

Slats or lags 39, 41, are mounted on flanges 25 on the heads and flange31 on the center support. Slat 39, Fig. 2. is in the form of achannel'member having three faces disposed angularly to each other, andwith inturned flanges 43. These slats 39 are mounted on the narrow endsof flanges 25, 31, each slat being closed at its extremities by a plate46 matching in outline the section of such slat and being welded to thelatters end; these plates are fixed to the inward faces of heads 1 bybolts 47. Similarly shaped plates 49, 51, are welded inside the troughof each slat 39 at suitable intervals to brace them against deformation,one of these, 51, being located at midlength of the reel and having aflange 53 fastened to the narrow end of flange 31 of center support 29by bolts 55. Suitable drain holes 57 are provided in the faces of eachslat 39 and in the reinforcing webs 49, 51, adjacent this face, toprevent the accumulation of liquor in the trough within each slat 39.

Slats 41 are located at midlength of the long sides of the oblongflanges 25 and are of right angle channel section as indicated in Fig.2, the extremities of the two parallel sides of each being bent outwardat right angles to form flanges 43, Fig. 2, whereby they are bolted tothe inward surface of the heads 1 by bolts 45. At midlength each slat 41is secured to the flange 31 of center support 29 by yokes 59 whoseoutturned feet 53 are fastened to such flange by bolts 56.

Humps 61, 62, are provided on the slats to give the reel its peculiarpulling and lifting power, through increasing the frictional engagementbetween the reel and the wet ropes of cloth looped over it. These humpsare formed of stainless steel rod bent into low, slightly pointed archeswith the arms of the arches having straight portions diverging atsubstantially right angles from each other, the end portions of the armsbeing bent into parallel relation and threaded. These humps are mountedin each of the three faces of the slats 39; and in the middle face ofslats 41, in accordance with the invention in planes extending parallelto the reels axis, preferably in two parallel paired series with eachhump 61 of one series overlapping two humps 62 of the other series ofthe pair (except at the ends). The humps are fixed in place in the slatsby inserting their threaded ends through holes properly located in theslats and tightening nuts 63 on the threaded ends of the humps to bearagainst the inward and outward surfaces of the slats. Half-humps 65 areprovided at the ends of the series, having their elevated ends extendingthrough slots 67 in heads 1, and having braces 69 welded to themintermediate their lengths with the threaded extremities of such bracesfixed in similar manner in holes in the slats by nuts '71. The resultingreel is in effect oval in cross-section.

Because the equally spaced humps 61 of one series of each pair are in adifferent plane, spaced away a substantial distance from the humps 62 ofthe other series of such pair in a direction around the reel, as clearlyshown in the case of slat 41, Fig. 1, but much less distant than thethickness of the rope of cloth, and the humps 61 are arranged inoverlapping and staggered relation to the humps 62 along the slats 41and along the three faces of each slat 39, the strings of cloth loopedover the reel and pressing inward toward the axis of the reel in loopingaround it tend to wedge into the valleys or crotches of V-shaped profilebetween each two adjacent circumferential sequences of humps. In sodoing the strings are bent obliquely out of their normal circumferentialextent in the effort to enter the space between the overlapping portionsof. the two members of each adjacent pair of humps they engage. Thecloth is bent or kinked into zigzag relation lengthwise of the reel atits point of contact with each hump, and the sharpness of the kink andconsequent power of the reels grip on the cloth is in direct proportionto the resistance of the cloth to being pulled by the reel up to acertain point, because such drag tightens the loop of cloth around thereel. Because the humps defining the two cooperating sides of eachV-shaped valley are arranged thus in both spaced and staggered relation,in different planes, herein both parallel to each other and to the reelsaxis, the angular supporting surfaces which they provide oblique to theforce pressing the cloth against the reel not only cause the cloth towedge between them thus, but also hold the cloth from resting on theslats and thus from diminishing the wedging action and consequent gripon the cloth.

There is'thus a double cloth-gripping action in each .1, first thatwhich arises from the wedging of the cloth in the V-shaped crotchdefined by one hump 61 and its cooperating hump 62 engaging a singlestring of cloth, and secondly that which is produced by the snubbing ofthe cloth around the feed of the proximate legs of these humps at andbelow the bottom of the V as the cloth is diverted into zigzag relationin entering the space left between the two series of humps 61, 62 inpursuance of the cloths natural tendency to seek the portion of the reelof least girth as it wraps around the reel. Hence because the respectivehumps defining the two sides of each V are spaced apart in a directionaround the reel and stand in diiferent planes, and thus engage the clothpassing between them at successive points only in the length thereofinstead of at opposite points in its length, an added and concurrentcloth-grasping crotch is provided at or below the bottom of each V.

By this manner of operation the improved reel exerts an increasedlifting and tractive power on the strings of cloth with reduction ofslippage of the reel within the loops of cloth and with much gentleraction on the cloth and absence of straining of the cloth over the humpsthan heretofore in many cases. Further, since a severe strain or tensionin the cloth will pull out or prevent the forming of the zigzag bends inthe cloth which provide the reels improved grip on cloth under normalmoderate tension, causing the cloth to ride wholly above the bottoms ofthe Vs, the reel possesses an automatic safety feature easing its gripand saving the cloth from injury when travel of the cloth is stopped asa result of tangling. All surfaces engaging the cloth are smooth androunded, and ience chafing and serious damage to the cloth is avoided ifthe strings tangle and the cloth stops traveling. There is of course nomaterial to absorb dyes, and hence the dye kettle may be usedcontinuously and successively for light or dark shades indiscriminately,merely rinsing out between, and with no boiling out. Because the humpsand the valleys which they define are arranged in circum- MUM-mm msferential sequence in radial planes, there is no tendency for the reelto crowd the strings of cloth toward one end or the other of the reel tocause tangling.

The manner of mounting the individual humps by means of nuts 63 securingtheir threaded legs on the slats 39, 41, permits easy adjustment of thehumps to have the desired extent from their respective slats, and thusto give the reel the desired girth at each of the circumferentialvalleys lying in their respective radial planes, by varying the spacedrelation of the humps from the reels axis and the corresponding spacedrelation from such axis of the bottoms of the Vs they define. It isessential that the effective circumference of the reel be the same ateach circumferential valley defined by the bottoms of each series of Vslocated in a given radial plane, as regards all loops which offer thesame resistance to being lifted. since the cloth runs in these valleysand not on the peaks of the humps, and a departure from equalcircumference or girth at one or more of the valleys will produce longand short loops, as is well known, and result in improper operation ofthe reel. However, all of the loops in the dye beck do not pull equally;for instance, the first valley on the reel has to pull the endlessstring of cloth leaving the last valley of the series clear across themachine and past the loops hanging from the valleys between. Thiscreates a greater tension in such crossing strand which reduces itscross-section and makes it ride lower in the said first valley,requiring such valley to be given a greater circumference than theothers in order to feed its strand at the same rate as the rest and keepthe loops equal. For such corrections the feature of adjustability ofthe radial extent of the humps is of great value, as by tilting thehumps defining one or both sides of a valley inward or outward of thelatter by manipulation of nuts 63 on the proximate legs the effectivegirth of the reel at such valley can be increased or reduced.Appropriate shift of the nuts on the remote legs of these same humpsmaintains the adjacent valley or valleys unchanged in circumference, ormodifies their circumferential girth, as may be desired.

An alternative form of the invention which attains many of theadvantages of the form of Fig. 1 while being much simpler and lesscostly to manufacture, is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this form, theseries of humps on each face of slats 39, and on the single face ofslats 41, is formed from a single continuous piece of metal rod 75 ofthe desired diameter bent into serpentine form and welded at 77 to therespective faces of slats 39, 41, to stand perpendicular to such faces.The elevated portions of the sinuosities of the rods form humps 79corresponding to 61, 62 of the form of Fig. 1, while the depressedportions 81 form the valleys or Vs in which the strings of cloth 83wedge and become gripped. These Vs are arranged in radial planesdefining axially spaced valleys, as in the other form, each valleyhandling one string of cloth or one loop of a spiraled piece of cloth,as the case may be. While lacking the gripping power of the double kinkput into the cloth at each V in the other form, it renders good servicein handling all but the slipperiest of fabrics. Though lacking inadjustability of its girth in attaining equal rates of feed at all thesets of valleys, this form tends to achieve such uniformity by thenature of its construction, with a substantial saving in cost ofproduction, and the girth of its initial valley at each end is easilyenhanced by elevating its Vs in welding to the slats, as at 85.

While I have illustrated and described a certain form in which theinvention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may bemade therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing fromthe scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I donot wish to be limited to the particular form shown, or to thedetails ofconstruction thereof, but

What I do claim is:

l. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, meansconnecting the heads, and arched cloth-engaging humps formed of bentrods fixed on such means and disposed in planes parallel to the reelsaxis.

2. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, meansconnecting the heads, and clothengaging elements comprising arched barsdefining V- shaped notches and spaced apart in the direction of thelength of the cloth at the bottom of the V.

3. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, slatsjoining the heads, and humps arranged in staggered relation in twospaced series on each slat wedging the cloth between them as it is fedonward by the reel.

4. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, slatsjoining the heads, and humps evenly spaced in one series in staggeredand overlapping relation with respect to the humps of another evenlyspaced series on the same slat wedging the cloth between them inproportion to the resistance of the cloth to being fed onward.

5. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, slatsjoining the heads, and humps in staggered series on each slat and havingarched portions in the same radial plane as the arched portion of humpsin corresponding series on the other slats, defining valleys extendingin series around the reel in radial planes.

6. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, slatsjoining the heads, and humps at spaced intervals staggered as to otherhumps on the same slat and acting therewith to wedge and to bend thecloth axially between them in proportion to the resistance of the clothto being fed onward.

7. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, slatsconnecting the heads, and humps extending lengthwise of the reelparallel to its axis in a plurality of series, the humps of one seriesstaggered and overlapping with respect to the humps of an adjacent oneof such series preventing the cloth from resting on the slats.

8. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, slatsconnecting the heads, and cloth-engaging elements comprising rods bentinto serpentine form and attached to the slats to form series of humpsalternating with intervening valleys, such series being disposed inplanes parallel to the reels axis.

9. A reel for propelling cloth having in combination spaced heads, apair of slats joining the heads and located in diametrically oppositerelation to each other at equal distances from the axis of the reel, aseries of cloth-engaging humps on each of such slats, a second pair ofslats also joining the heads and located in diametrically oppositerelation to each other at equal distances from the reels axis, suchdistances exceeding those of the first pair, and a plurality of seriesof cloth-engaging humps on each of this second pair of slats, theseveral series on each such slat being disposed in obliquely relatedplanes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS755,006 Hoxie Mar. 22, 1904 1,282,909 Mills Oct. 29, 1918 1,957,618Simonds May 8, 1934 2,162,841 'Dunlap June 20, 1939 2,320,891 Ryder June1, 1943 2,578,330 Von Kohom Dec. 11, 1951 2,585,948 Litzler Feb. 19,1952 2,597,839 MOrrill et a1 May 20, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,683Australia June 2, 1949

